Electric fence blamed for fire

An electric fence is being blamed for sparking a bushfire that threatened Boorowa earlier this year.

The 'Watershed Fire' burnt around 1,600 hectares of land in January, and came within eight kilometres of the town.

An investigation has now determined the blaze was started by tree overhanging a high power electric fence, used for keeping in horses.

Fire investigator Simon Curry says the fence was the only possible ignition point at the area of the fire's origin.

"The theory is that the insulators on the fence were either cracked or damaged and we found a tree that was in the area of origin," he said.

"It was leaning over this fence and we believe the sparking from the electric fence caused the foliage on the tree to start a fire in the tree and it took off with the excessive winds we had that day."

He says the Rural Fire Service may consider asking farmers to switch off electric fences during catastrophic fire conditions,

"They're usually left on, as I say it's not a common occurrence, but it has happened before.

"It may be something we have to look at in the future about on days of catastrophic weather, that we may need to advise farmers if they can, possibly, shut them down for that bad period during the day."

Local police say the bushfire may be referred to the Coroner.

However, Acting Inspector Chris McKinnon says there will not be any criminal investigation into the blaze.

"It may require a report to the coroner, given the amount of damage that was caused.

"The police will complete that report for the coroner, with the assistance of the RFS, so that would be the extent of the police investigation into the matter."